A quick kidney friendly meal!
What makes this Lentil Pita Wrap recipe kidney friendly?
- It’s low in sodium. While sodium content can vary based on the brand of pita bread that you use, the entire meal is less than 400 mg sodium! Even with a tasty yogurt dressing on top 🙂
- It’s high in fiber (12 grams) and has a low carb to fiber ratio (5 grams of carbs for every gram of fiber). This ideal carb to fiber ratio (5:1) helps prevent blood sugar spikes, helps keep you full longer, and helps you poop 🙂
- This pita wrap provides plant based protein (17 grams). While there are plenty of ways to add more protein to this wrap if needed, it is an ideal meal for someone with CKD Stages 3-5 that should be avoiding very high protein diets.
- The phosphorus is minimally absorbed. Since this entire meal is plant based, the phosphorus is absorbed 20-50%. So even though it contains 341 mg phosphorus, only 170 mg or less is actually absorbed.
- This meal falls into a low-moderate potassium range (782 mg potassium). A low potassium diet is typically 2,000-3,000 mg potassium/day. So depending on the amount of meals and snacks you eat, this would easily fit into that range. And there is even room for fruit or a treat on the side!
Throw it together for a quick lunch
All you need is a medium size whole wheat pita bread. I used Trader Joe’s Whole Wheat Pita Bread because it is higher in fiber (5 grams per pita) and lower in sodium (80 mg per pita) than traditional whole wheat pita bread.
Choose whatever veggies you like. Here I use red onion, bell pepper and arugula. If you need a lower potassium plant protein (instead of lentils) use chickpeas or tofu!
The yogurt dressing can be made with any plain, unsweetened yogurt. Forager and Kite Hill make some of my favorite plant based yogurt options without phosphorus additives. If you only have regular yogurt, that’s okay too. The recipe only calls for 1 tablespoon, so it is a very small amount that is actually being consumed.
Alterations you might want to make
To add calories to this meal, add olive oil to the yogurt dressing. Or add an apple or other fruit on the side. You can also use a larger size pita and pack it with more veggies/lentils/dressing!
To add protein, sprinkle some Tofu Feta Cheese on top! Or use a larger portion of lentils if your potassium needs allow for it. You could also sprinkle hemp hearts on top to add more plant protein.
To make this meal lower in potassium, use tofu, chickpeas, black eyed peas or green peas instead of lentils. These are all lower potassium plant proteins.
If you don’t feel like having a cold wrap, sauté all of these ingredients in olive oil or avocado oil and then add it to a warmed pita and drizzle the dressing on top.
Learn how to easily build more kidney friendly meals!
If you like how quick and easy this recipe is, check out my How To Eat Plant Based To Protect Kidney Health E-Guide.
You will feel more confident knowing that what you eat is meeting your individual nutrient needs and protecting your kidney function!
Lentil Pita Wrap
Ingredients
Wrap
- 1 medium (6 inch) whole wheat pita
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard or sub hummus, mayo, guac, or other favorite spread
- 2 tbsp diced red onion
- 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper any color
- 1/2 cup cooked lentils
- 1 cup arugula or other leafy green of choice
Yogurt Dressing
- 1 tbsp plain, unsweetened yogurt plant or regular
- 1 each lemon wedge
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar other other vinegar
- 1/8 tsp garlic powder
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1/8 tsp red chili flakes
Instructions
- Toast or warm pita if desired.
- Spread mustard (or other spread) onto the pita.
- Add veggies and lentils to the pita wrap. I like to layer some arugula on the bottom and also on the top.
- Mix the yogurt dressing ingredients together in a small bowl and then drizzle over the pita.
- Fold pita wrap and enjoy!
What type of lentils do you use please? Thanks 😊
You can use whatever lentils you want! Brown, green, red/pink. I often use the Trader Joe’s steamed lentils (in the refrigerated section) or canned lentils that I drain/rinse.